1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording media protecting mechanism for a digital camera and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various types of electronic equipment, which utilize a detachable memory card incorporating thereinto a solid-state memory as an information storage section, have come onto the market. In this type of electronic equipment, in order to use the memory card, it is necessary that the memory card is mounted on the electronic equipment so that a connector section of the memory card is electrically connected with a connector section of the electronic equipment. In this electrically connected condition, the electric processing between the memory card and the electronic equipment is carried out, so that data transmission therebetween can be performed.
According to the conventional electric equipment, in the event that the memory card, which is mounted on the equipment, is ejected, generally, an eject button is depressed so that the electric connection of the connector of the memory card is released to eject the memory card. However, it may happen that at the time when the electric connection of the connector of the memory card is released, the electric processing for writing of data to the memory card or reading of data from the memory card is now being executed. In the event that such a condition occurs, there is a possibility that important data stored in the memory card will be destroyed.
There is known a memory card ejecting apparatus capable of preventing occurrence of the destruction of data of the memory card, even if an operation of ejecting the memory card is carried out during execution of the electric processing for the memory card. For example, it is a general structure that open and shut of a media cover is detected by a switch, so that a power source is turned off in the open state.
For example, in the event that the mounted memory card is ejected, a slide operation of the eject button causes a change over switch to turn on, so that a processing for stopping data writing of the memory card or data reading of the memory card is executed and the card cover is opened. Subsequently, when a depressing operation is made in a direction perpendicular to the eject button, a gear lever rotatably moves, so that a stoppage of the memory card is released and the connection of the connector is released, and thereby offering a state in which the memory card can be ejected (for example, cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Gazette TokuKai Hei.9-319663 (Pages 2–4, FIG. 2)).
Further, in order to implement safe writing and reading of data to the recording medium inserted into a digital camera, there is known a technology of ensuring safety of the recording medium in such a manner that at an insertion slot for inserting a recording medium into a digital camera, there are provided a cover for inhibiting ejection and insertion of the recording medium in the closed state and a switch for detecting open and close states of the cover, and a control apparatus for performing communication with the digital camera so that it does not request a reading operation and a writing operation for the recording medium until the cover is closed, when it is detected that the cover is opened (for example, cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Gazette TokuKai Hei.10-42231 (Pages 2–6, FIG. 1)).
According to the above-mentioned related art, the prevention of ejection and insertion of the media while the media is energized is implemented by means of providing a detection mechanism of an open and close state of a media cover. However, this technology involves problems such as a power failure due to chattering by external impact (vibration) and cost increases due to addition of the detection mechanism. Further, in the event that the detection mechanism brings about a malfunction, it would be difficult to prevent data from being destroyed, and thus there is a problem as to poor reliability.